Demolish concrete illegal structures on Yamuna flood plains in Agra: NGT

By NewsGram Staff Writer

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today issued a notice for the demolition of concrete illegal structures on the Yamuna flood plains in the Agra region.

The notice, which is returnable till May 26, was a result of public suit filed by D.K. Joshi, an environmentalist and a member of the Supreme Court monitoring committee on environmental issues in the Taj Trapezium Zone.

The notice was issued to the divisional commissioner of Agra, the vice chairman of the Agra Development Authority (ADA), the Municipal Commissioner of Agra and the head of the UP Jal Nigam, inquiring that why builders were permitted to raise multi-storied structures on the Yamuna flood plains in blatant violation of high court orders restricting construction activity within 500 metres of the river.

Joshi said, "ADA had identified 59 buildings on the flood plains in 2013 but no action was taken to demolish them."

Joshi has asked for immediate orders to clear the flood plains to ensure the safety of life and to save the river.

Joshi in his 200-page suit, complete with photographs, annexure and court orders has also raised the issue of garbage being dumped on the river bed and the river banks. Civic laws restrict the dumping of hazardous substances in the river.

"The flood plains had been usurped by squatters in Mau, Jaganpur, Khaspur, Dayal Bagh, Sikandrapur, Poiya Ghat, Ghatwasan and Naraich and that no Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) had been conducted yet," he added.

NGT has also been asked to give clear-cut orders for demolishing all illegal structures on the flood plains and issue guidelines for future construction activity along the riverfront.